Washing machine



T. 0. THEOBALD. WASHING MACHINE.

IPPLICII`I'ION FILED JUNE 4, I92I- 1,427,867. y

i Patented Sept. 5, 1922 I /l i y 312 354' :i l l: l;

8 l.. i1,. 3 *iii u 33 3l INVENTOR.

Emy Zfaezp ATTURNEY.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. o. THEOBA'LD. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FJLEDJUNE 4, 1921 Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

THOMAS,y o. THEOBALD, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

wesnnveneonmn I Application niet- June '4,

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that LTHoMAs THnoBALD, a citizen of the United States, and residing at `Detroit, in the kcounty of VlVayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved `Washing Machine, of which the following is a specifi-cation. n l f This invention relates to washing machines of the vacuum-cup type, and its object is to provide a portable machine of l'this charac ter which maybe used in connection with any convenient tub,water tight boX or barrel which is sufliciently of the machine. N l l y This invention consists in base, a kpedestal, a cross head anda pair lof vacuum-.cups slidable on the pedestal, 'a motor on the 'upper end of ,the pedestal,"and. connecting mechanism between the otorand cro'ss head whereby the cups `may "belmoved up" and l down on the pedestal.

It further consists ofthe f novel .gearing and the connecting mechanism between the gearing and the cross headl whereby 4the rotary movement ofthe gearing may be translated into reciprocating'movement of the cups, and in means foratta'ching and detaching the 4cups from this4 connecting mechanism. i

It also consists in the details of construction illustrated in they accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. lisa view,` one half in elevation and one `half in'central vertical section, of this improved washing machine. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionof the operating gearing and the casing therefor i at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a plan of a baseon the .line S-B'of Fig. 1. Fig. 4L is a vertical section of thebottom of the pedestal at right angles tothe plane of Fig. l. Fig". 5 is a view of a "modified type of washing machine. Fig;` Gis. a section on the line 6M@ lof Fig. 3.

`Similar reference characters parts throughout the several views.,` l

The machine shown embodies an electric motor 1 at the top of the: gear caseand having a carrying handle y ,having a square endv 3 (Figl'1)y extending into the shaft 4 of the worm 5. `Afshort bear ing 6 for this shaft e maybe positionedy next large. to receive theibase l' squared so that 28A are suiciently refer to like i921. l serial im. 474,989.

the gear kcasing by screws 7. As no cla-im 1s made to the details of the motor, it is shown conventionally.

to the-motor casing which is connected toy The gear casingis of `,two parts 8 and 9 connectedby bolts 10. At its upper end (Fig. 2) is a sleeve 12 in which are mounted theebearings 6 and 13`for the worm shaft 4,the lower being preferably a ball bearing. A pair of bosses on bearings for the lshafty la which carries a worm wheel 15 and a 'spur pinion 16 which meshes with the large gear 17'on the shaft .18." This gear has a'bearing f19 for the pin 2O extending from the block 2l'which ris y, transversely slidable in a twospart; yoke 22.

lThe opposite end of this shaftis 'preferably it may drive "a wringer 23 of anydesired character 'which may be attachedto the part 8 of the gear casing by screws 24. i f 'e l Vertically slidable in the uprighty tubular pedestal 26 is a sleeve 27 `which is formed 4with longitudinal slotsf28 at itsupper end which divide the upper end of the sleeve into two parts, to each of which a portion of ythe two-part yoke 22 is connecte-d. The slots wide to 'permit the shaft 18 to pass through, andthe slidable block 21 is sufficiently long' to bridgel the? space between th'e two parts of the'yoke 22.' f The sleeve 27 may therefore vbe forced up and down by the slidable block 21" 'as it travels around in a circle with the pin 20, passing across the gap between the two parts yof theyolre 22'centrally above and`r` below the shaft 18. i

The pedestal connects to a base of any desired character.I l have shown a shallow pan 31 having a rim 32, ribs 33 formed with slots 34;, anda central thimble 35 provided with a radial pin B6 adapted to enter the bayonet slots '37 lin the lower endof the pedestal to vhold it in position. I prefer to form the thimble of va separate and Y of metal'and attach itsl lower flange `38 to the base by spot welding. A circular spring 39 having a hump 40 rest-rains undesired `movement between the pedestal and base. 2,.the motorshaft The gear casing Hts onto the upper' end of thel pedestal 26, the Ypedestal being gripped rby the hubs 42 by reason-.of thevbolts 43 and nuts 44 provided with handles 45.' Slide-ble heavier piece this sleeve 12 constitute on the pedestal is a cross head consisting of a collar 46 and the arms 47 provided with pins 48 at their ends to extend through the rectangular bosses i9 on the vacuum-cups 50. These cups are held in proper position by the springs 5l mounted on pins 53, but permitted to swing on the pins 48 by these springs when unequal stresses come on the cup because of the clothes in the tub.

The sleeve 27 is provided with any desired number of recesses which are adapted to receive a pin 56 mounted on the inner end of a bar 57. A lever 58 mounted on a pin 59 and connecting to the bar 57 by a pin 60 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. l by the spring 51 and a link 62 supports the bar 57. The pedestal 26 has a longitudinal slot 64 to permit the pin 56 to move up and down. Vhen the lever 58 is swung up, the pin 56 is withdrawn from its recess 55 and the collar 46 and the cups mounted thereon may be adjusted vertically on the sleeve 27. The machine may be made quite light so it can be placed in any .convenient container and operates whenever current is turned on.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the gear ycase 9, motor l and handle 2 but the hub 4:2. of the gear case connects to the cross bar 72 which extends across the receptacle 7l. The sleeve which carries the vacuum cups 73 is quite short so that it does not extend down below the cups. A properly designed machine of small size can be mounted on a large dish pan or foot bath.

l/Vhile I have conventionally shown an electric motor, I do not wish to be limited thereto, as I wish the term motor to include all types of driving devices which may be desirable foractuating the cup support. vWhile two cups are shown, any desired number may be used, and one of those-shown may be omitted if desired. f

The details of construction and the proportions of the parts may all be changed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention asset forth in the following claims.

I claim 1. In a'washing machine, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case` mounted on the upper end of the pedestal, a motor on the gear case, a cross head slidable on the pedestal, a pair of vacuum-cups mounted on the cross head, and means mounted in the gear case and pedestal operatively connecting the motor and cross head.

2. In a washing machine, the combination ofa base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case mounted on the upper end e of the pedestal, a motor on the gear case, a cross head slidable onl the pedestal, a pair of vacuum cups mounted on the cross head, a sleeve slidable in the pedestal, means connecting the cross head to the sleeve, and means operatively connecting the motor and sleeve.

3. In a washing machine, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case mounted on the upper end of the pedestal, a motor on the gear case, a cross head slidable on the pedestal, a pair of vacuum cups mounted on the cross head, a sleeve slidable in the pedestal, means connecting the cross head to the sleeve, means operatively connecting the motor and sleeve embodying a yoke at the upper end of the sleeve and having a transverse guide groove, a block slidable in the groove, a pin in said block, agear in which said pin is mounted,`

and means connecting the motor and gear.

4. In a washing machine, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case mounted on the upper end of the pedestal, a motor on the gear case, a

cross head slidable on the pedestal, a pair of vacuum cups mounted on the cross head, a sleeve slidable in the pedestal, means connecting the cross head to the sleeve, means operatively connecting the motor and sleeve embodying a yoke at the upper end of the Sleeve and having a transverse guide groove, a block slidable in the groove, a pin in said block, a gear in which said pin is mounted, means connecting the motor and gear, and a shaft for said gear, said sleeve and yoke having slots through which said shaft may extend.

5. In a washing machine, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case mounted on the upper end of the pedestal, a motor on the gear case, a cross head slidable on the pedestal, a pair of vacuum cups kmounted on the cross head, and means mounted in the gear case and pedestal operatively connecting' the motor and cross head, said cross head embodying oppositely extending arms having pins in their outer ends, said vacuum-cups having bosses through which the pins extend, and spring to hold the cups in position..

6. In a washing machina, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gear case mounted on the upper end ofthe pedestal, a, motor on the gear case, a cross head slidable on the pedestal, a pair of vacuum cups mounted onl the cross head, a sleeve slidable in the pedestal, means connecting the cross head to the sleeve, and means operatively connecting the motor and sleeve, said pedestal having a longitudinal slot and. said cross head havinga pin extending through said slot into a recess in said sleeve.

7,. In a washing machine,y the combi-nation of a rotatable shaft, a frame to support the shaft, a member adapted to slide in the frame and having its line of movement intersecting the axis of the shaft, a cross head on said slidable member and having a slot to permit the passage of the shaft and a guide groove at an angle to said slot and formed of two parts, one on each side of the slot, a block slidable in said groove and of sufficient length to bridge said slot, a crank on the shaft, a crank pin carried thereby and adapted to engage said block, and means to rotate the shaft.

8. In a Washing machine, the combination of a gear case, a motor mounted on the gear case, a sleeve extending downfrom said gear case, a cross head attached to said sleeve, vacuum cups attached to said cross head, means operatively connecting the motor and sleeve to cause the cross head and cups to move up and down, a support for said gear case, said connecting means embodying a yoke at the upper end of the sleeve and having-a transverse guide groove, a block slidable therein, av gear having a crank pin engaging said block, and means connecting the gear to the motor embodying a Worm con nected to the motor shaft, a transverse shaft, a Worm gear thereon meshing with the Worm and a pinion on said shaft meshing With said gear.

9. In a Washing machine, the combination of a base, a pedestal extending upward therefrom, a gearing support at the upper end of the pedestal, a motor on the support, a cup. support slidable on the pedestal, a vacuum cup mounted on the cup support, and means operatively connecting the motor and cup support.

THOMAS O. THEOBALD. 

